What Factors Affect the Rate of Reaction
Between Hydrochloric Acid and Calcium
Carbonate?
Background knowledge
Many substances react when they come into contact with each other. To collide they
require kinetic energy. They require an excess of it to react; this is why reactions are more rapid
at greater temperatures. As the particles have more energy they are moving faster and are
therefore more likely to come into contact with each other.
Reactions between acids and alkalis as is the case here, will produce a neutralisation
reaction where the substance formed will be more neutral (closer to a pH 7) than the original
reactants. This is usually an exothermic reaction in which heat is given off due to the fact that
when the bonds of a new substance is formed there is excess energy.
The are many factors that can affect the rate of a reaction. These include temperature
which is explained in the first paragraph, surface area of a solid in a reaction, the concentration
of each substance, pressure, and quantities of each substance.
If the solid, in this case calcium carbonate, has a large surface area more acid molecules
can come into contact with it at the same time, allowing more to react simultaneously. If the
same volume of the solid is divided into smaller pieces it will have a greater relative surface area
The solid to the left is made up of 16 molecules, of which only 12 (red particles) are
exposed to any substance it may contact. The molecules on the right are the original solid
divided into smaller pieces. There are the same number of molecules but all of them are
exposed.
Another factor which will affect the rate of a reaction, is the concentration of the
substances, in this case hydrochloric acid. The acid solution being used is made from
concentrated hydrochloric acid, diluted with water and then halved continually with more water,
until the correct concentration is obtained.
The concentration of acid is measured in moles/litre
Mole =The atomic mass of the substance's formula in grams per 1000cc of solution, the rest
being water.
In this case we are using hydrochloric acid, it's formula is HCl
Hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1, and chlorine 35.5= 36.5
One mole (1M) =36.5g of hydrochloric acid in 1000cc of solution.
As the water molecules are very unreactive when added to calcium carbonate they will
Between Hydrochloric Acid and Calcium
Carbonate?
Background knowledge
Many substances react when they come into contact with each other. To collide they
require kinetic energy. They require an excess of it to react; this is why reactions are more rapid
at greater temperatures. As the particles have more energy they are moving faster and are
therefore more likely to come into contact with each other.
Reactions between acids and alkalis as is the case here, will produce a neutralisation
reaction where the substance formed will be more neutral (closer to a pH 7) than the original
reactants. This is usually an exothermic reaction in which heat is given off due to the fact that
when the bonds of a new substance is formed there is excess energy.
The are many factors that can affect the rate of a reaction. These include temperature
which is explained in the first paragraph, surface area of a solid in a reaction, the concentration
of each substance, pressure, and quantities of each substance.
If the solid, in this case calcium carbonate, has a large surface area more acid molecules
can come into contact with it at the same time, allowing more to react simultaneously. If the
same volume of the solid is divided into smaller pieces it will have a greater relative surface area
The solid to the left is made up of 16 molecules, of which only 12 (red particles) are
exposed to any substance it may contact. The molecules on the right are the original solid
divided into smaller pieces. There are the same number of molecules but all of them are
exposed.
Another factor which will affect the rate of a reaction, is the concentration of the
substances, in this case hydrochloric acid. The acid solution being used is made from
concentrated hydrochloric acid, diluted with water and then halved continually with more water,
until the correct concentration is obtained.
The concentration of acid is measured in moles/litre
Mole =The atomic mass of the substance's formula in grams per 1000cc of solution, the rest
being water.
In this case we are using hydrochloric acid, it's formula is HCl
Hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1, and chlorine 35.5= 36.5
One mole (1M) =36.5g of hydrochloric acid in 1000cc of solution.
As the water molecules are very unreactive when added to calcium carbonate they will